The big picture: As Pew correctly identifies, changing trends are part of a broader shift in which mobile technology has altered how we perform everyday tasks like applying for jobs and interacting with others. With Internet connections within arm's reach, more people are reaching for their smartphones to hop online.
Americans of all ages are increasingly likely to go online using their smartphone. According to a new Pew Research Center survey, 37 percent of US adults typically tend to reach for their smartphone to access the Internet – a significant increase from the 19 percent of Americans that responded similarly to the same question in 2013.
Younger adults – those between the age of 18 and 29 – are especially likely to reach for their smartphone. A full 59 percent of adults in this age range said they mostly access the Internet on their phone, up from 41 percent who said the same six years ago.
What’s more, 17 percent of Americans are now “smartphone only” Internet users meaning they don’t have a high-speed broadband connection at home. Such is likely to be the case (lacking a broadband connection at home) for those making less than $30,000 per year (26 percent) versus those with larger incomes of over $75,000 per year (six percent). Similar statistics are seen among those with lower education levels (high school or less) and college-educated individuals, at 26 percent and four percent, respectively.
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